Posted on 08/22/2005 11:27:24 AM PDT by churchillbuff
What does "stay the course" mean? At one time it meant "regime change." Then it came to mean "weapons of mass destruction," then it meant "war on terror." Now apparently it means an Iraq that is "democratic and free." ...that is nonsense. How many Arab countries are currently both free and democratic -- from Mauritania to Saudi Arabia? Not a one. Does that not suggest that it would be impossible for the United States to impose on Arab culture what we mean by freedom and democracy? In fact, how many Muslim countries can boast of Western-style civil society and democracy? Turkey, maybe, at least up to a point. Iran? Pakistan? Bangladesh? Indonesia? Does that suggest that in its present form Islamic culture is not conducive to what we mean by democracy? ...[snip]
In Iraq ...the Shiite majority is struggling to create an Islamic republic on the Iranian model, more moderate, perhaps, but still a theocratic state in which the mullahs have supreme power -- and women have almost no rights at all. Indeed "staying the course" seems to mean fighting Iran's war against Iraq with Chinese money (which pays for the part of the national debt the war is piling up through the purchase of American treasury notes).
I do not deny that there are elements in the Islamic heritage that are compatible with a civil and democratic society. I insist, however, that these elements do not dominate today in any Islamic country, again with the partial exception of Turkey. But President Bush is nonetheless going to create by sheer willpower and the blood of American troops such a society in Iraq?
....Most Americans believe that real democracy is something like our own. They believe that the president is promising that in Iraq. It is a foolish, ignorant, stupid promise.
Democracy does not mean merely that the majority of voters elect their rulers. It also means the rights of the minority are protected. It means freedom of the press, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the right to seek redress of grievance, an impartial and independent judiciary, it means no street violence after an election, the right to presumed innocence and to appeal court decisions, respect for those who are different from you, protection of property and contracts, a stable and generally accepted civic culture, civilian control of the military and the police -- all the precious and priceless freedoms and rights which we Americans take for granted -- however imperfectly they may be protected or honored.
Majority rule, without these kinds of safeguards, turns into tyranny, total power invested in the monarch or the general or the cleric or the caudillo or maximum leader or whoever else claims at gunpoint to embody the will of the people. No matter how long Bush "stays the course" in Iraq, the history of that part of the world suggests that the end result of our "regime change" will be something like that. For this, American blood is being spilled?
Western democracy, far from perfect, is still the best there is. One may call what goes on in Cuba or Russia or China or Egypt or Algeria or Pakistan or Indonesia democracy not in the Western style, if one wishes. But the president should not deceive the American people. What will happen in Iraq will be very much like what existed before Saddam came to power and eventually lead, in the name of the will of the people, to another tyrant who will rule with an automatic weapon in his hand.
I think that the "a" is significant as well. If it was "the" I would be much, much more concerned.
I think that the "a" is significant as well. If it was "the" I would be much, much more concerned.
Oops...hiccup. Excuse me.
Yes!
So he's getting paid to write something to tell us what we already know. Someone is a great big sucker for giving this guy paychecks.
It wasn't worth the blood of young Americans.
Cindy, is that you?
You have GOT to be kidding me!
Maybe the nySlimes, the WaComPost, Boston Globe, ABCNBCCBSMSNBCCNN????
Are those "legitimate" news sources IYO? ITM rocks!!
It was a proposal. We'll see if it even gets majority Shi'ite approval. Given Al Sistani's stance, that is unlikely - though it may well be close.
That's what I say when I see reports of how the Iraq constitution is going to enshrine Islam as the source of law. Our soldiers died for that?
It's A source for their law, which is no different than Turkey which uses Islam in some of its law but is nonetheless democratic.
Christianity is the source of our law, yet we're not ruled by Christian tyrannts.
I don't get your point. When did we invade a country and impose "regime change" during the Cold War? Our successful doctrine was "containment".
Containment is not an option when dealing with terrorism and rogue regimes. Containment only worked against countries that feared war with the US. Saddam obviously did not since he refused to either be contained or to observe his 1991 ceasefire agreements.
Was that intended humor? :)
Thankyou for altering the article so that us dumb ol rednecks could better understand it. Your second career with the MSM is awaiting you.
One of OBL's basic arguments for setting up his worldwide organization to attack us is that we are too weak and decadent to defend ourselves in the face of a determined foe. This belief is what suggested to him that he could win in the end, despite a recognition that he would lose badly in the beginning.
Our losses in Iraq are militarily trivial, and below even the effects of re-electing certain large city mayors. That people are even thinking of giving in is proof they are indeed decadent.
" The idea of a constitution and seperation of powers is western."
I guess that "For the people and By the People" thing just doesn't go over well in the Muslim world.
After all we did just re-elect President Bush.
We turned away from Viet Nam and it's minister Kerry.
As an arab country Iraq has been among the most moderate and pragmatic. They voted with apparent courage and gusto in January, a fact the porno-priest conveniently ignores.
I doubt they were enthusiastically looking forward to an Iran-style regime, which is the straw man used by the leftwing creeps. Notice how swiftly the consensus among the credulous has settled on the 'rat talking point--"Oh no! Islamic law! Bush has failed! We must pull out now!"
And one of Manji's peeves is that the entire political spectrum of the West caters to the worst of what Islam has to offer - Arab Imperialism by another name.
Unfortunately, I think we've let down the modernising forces in Iraq by allowing such a state of affairs to develop.
I did use "they" instead of "we".
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